A custom-built home presents endless opportunities to design a space just the way you want it. When Nicko and Elizabeth Telidis began designing their family’s forever home, they didn’t want it to feel “brand new.” They wanted a mix of livable charm and timeless design that brought an “old soul” sensibility to their custom new build.
“This home feels like a real home to us,” Elizabeth said. “It’s functional, it’s homey, it looks great – and there’s no wasted space.”
Designing and building a new home that feels layered and lived-in takes a lot of thoughtful planning, but it’s absolutely achievable when you start with the right foundation, materials, mindset, and team of professionals to work with along the way. Below, we share how Petros helped the Telidis family accomplish their dream home and how you can create a custom home that feels established from day one.
Custom Inspiration: Begin with a Vision That Feels Like You
Every custom home begins with a dream, and the most successful builds begin with a clear emotional vision. Nicko and Elizabeth are no strangers to different styles, but their latest vision was about creating a long-term space that would grow with them.
“We love remodeling and building homes,” Elizabeth explained. “This is our sixth home together that we’ve built or remodeled in the eight years we’ve been together. This home, however, was going to forever be the home we raise our family in.”
For the Telidis family, that meant drawing inspiration from the modern Tudor style and transitional homes to blend classic and contemporary features in a way that feels classic without becoming outdated. Here are some ways you can gather inspiration to make your new build feel completely and unapologetically you:
- Search Instagram, Pinterest, and other social platforms for reputable builders that create unique, custom spaces for inspiration. Tag others, share posts with friends and family, and save your favorites for future references.
- Look at online design galleries to see how different ideas are implemented in other projects.
- Tour model homes and visit vendor and builder design centers and show rooms.
- Create a vision board that gives you a visual representation of ideas you like (and those you don’t).
- Examine your current space and find elements that you want to incorporate into your new build, such as existing furniture or a specific look you want to recapture.
Timeless Foundation: Start from the Ground Up
The surfaces you choose play a major role in balancing personalization and ageless design. According to the Telidis family, selecting their ideal finishes was an exciting part of the custom home design process.
“You have an idea of what you want and believe it’ll all get tied together, but again you only know for certain once everything is in there,” Elizabeth shared. “Once it was put together, everything turned out exactly how we wanted it.”
Like the Telidis family, a creative mix of flooring, cabinets, and other features can provide both timeless elegance and an organic, lived-in feel. Here are some of the features that helped them make their new Westlake residence feel like an established home.
- Site-finished hardwood floors show off subtle grain variations that provide character that ages with grace.
- Inset Maple Cabinets with crown molding and traditional door styles create clean lines and exude classic elegance.
- A layered color and stain mix pairs a warm, creamy neutral paint (Shitake SW 9173) with a warm wood stain (22 Kast Colonial) to create a layered, comforting look.
- A hidden pantry adds more functional storage space while maintaining that clean, “forever fresh” charm of a new custom home.
- Unique finishes, texture, and details that create layered, authentic spaces, including mixed hardware finishes, brushed gold light fixtures, and decorative details like curated wood built-ins and a stairwell window seat.
Old World Charm: Add Architectural Details That Tell a Story
New homes offer so much potential, but they can feel like cookie cutter accommodations without the right custom details. The Telidis family knew they wanted to capture the charm that comes with timeless design, which they determined could only be achieved by building a custom home. Working with Petros, they were able to accomplish this through various custom selections and details.
“You never know if a room is truly going to feel big enough until it’s done and you’re in it,” Elizabeth said. “Once it was put together, everything turned out exactly how we wanted it.”
The result was a forever home that felt elegant, timeless, and completely customized to their needs, thanks to the following architectural details:
- Curved arches soften the transition from one room into another and echo traditional craftsmanship.
- High-peaked ceilings with decorative beams in the kitchen add volume and an old-world aesthetic that people can view from both the main floor and second-floor overlook.
- Patterned tile work ties in classic designs in softer, neutral tones to add visual interest without feeling too bold or distracting.
- Taller baseboards and trim painted in the same soft color as the walls and ceilings (Shoji White SW7042) create a calming, cohesive backdrop for every other element.
First Impressions: An Exterior with Instant Character
There are a variety of exterior design choices that homeowners can make to add lasting character that makes their residence feel like it’s been lived in for generations. The Telidis family pulled inspiration from the “modern Tudor style” they admired. They captured this look by incorporating details such as:
- Steep gables add instant architectural weight and timeless curb appeal.
An arched entry over the front double door softens hard lines and creates a memorable entrance. - Mixed exterior materials combine stone and timbering for added dimension that nod to the Tudor aesthetic.
- Statement windows that contrast classic, six-pane window grids with stark glass to combine traditional and modern details.
- Contrasting colors that use a neutral base with earthy accents (SW 7048 Urbane Bronze) draw the eye to key details and add warmth.
- Back porch details like a cedar ceiling that add more personality on the back of the home.
Special Showcase: A Fireplace with History and Function
Incorporating distinctive details into your custom build is an excellent way to establish a sense of history and add character centered around your wants.
For the Telidis family, that focal point was a custom fireplace that served as a functional centerpiece for their home. The following features helped create a stunning showpiece that felt like an established piece of history.
- Casa Di Sassi Bianco Blend Stone brings texture to the room along with color variation for a rugged, elegant look.
- A custom Omega mantel cast in smooth-faced gray limestone which featured sleek, curved edges that look both refined and rustic.
- A herringbone patterned interior.
- Real wood-burning firebox that provides the warmth, scent, and sounds that can’t be replicated by an electric insert.
- Functional storage flanking the fireplace that’s both convenient and allows the wood itself to add warmth and texture to the overall design.
Key Takeaways for Building New Homes That Feel Established
The Telidis family’s new custom home is an excellent example of how warm finishes, timeless materials, and intentional design choices can transform a new house into a lifelong home. Here are some key lessons that you can take away from their experience if you’re ready to build your custom home:
- Invest in your foundation: Flooring, trim, and architectural details have a major impact on your home’s character and require a bigger investment to change later.
- Embrace mixed materials and finishes: Intentionally pairing paints, stains, metals, and other elements can add richness and visual intrigue when done well.
- Keep your color palette warm and cohesive: Choosing a single tone for the walls, ceilings, and trim creates unity.
- Add unique features: Custom, unexpected design choices like hidden pantries, bold architectural motifs, and other personalized details make each home feel one of a kind.
- Think beyond trends: While trends can help with inspiration, aim for established design elements that feel like you, including high-quality stone, wood, and other textures that endure over time.
- Be patient: Building a custom home is not a quick process, but it’s important to stress quality over deadlines for your forever home. As the Telidis family says, “Have patience and trust that it will be worth the wait.”
If you’re dreaming about a custom home that feels established from day one, Petros Homes has a reputation for building innovative designs that start with your wants and needs. Contact us today to learn about our custom-building process and how we can build a home that meets your vision and fits your lifestyle.
